1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to a valve activation system for the release of a volatile material from a container, and more particularly to a valve activation system having a flexible tube adapted to dispense an aerosolized fluid from a container having a tilt-activated valve stem.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
Aerosol containers are commonly used to store and dispense volatile materials such as air fresheners, deodorants, insecticides, germicides, decongestants, perfumes, and the like. The volatile material is stored under compression and typically in a liquid state within a container. A release valve on the container controls release of the volatile material contained under compression therein. The release valve typically has a valve stem that extends outwardly from the valve, wherein the valve is activated by the valve stem and the volatile material flows out of the container through the valve stem. In such a release valve, the valve is activated by a displacement of the valve stem with respect to a valve body. The valve stem may be displaced along a longitudinal axis of the valve stem, i.e., axially, or the valve stem may be tilted or displaced in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the valve stem, i.e., radially.
Activation of a release valve may be accomplished by an automated system or manually. In manual activation, a user may adjust an activation force applied to the valve as required to achieve a desired release. Therefore, consideration of applied force requirements is generally less important to design of manually activated release valves. Conventional actuator mechanisms may include motor driven linkages that apply downward pressure to depress the nozzle and open the valve within the container. Typically, these actuator mechanisms are unwieldy and are not readily adaptable to be used in a stand-alone manner and a hand-held manner. Further, many of these actuator mechanisms exhibit a great deal of power consumption. Generally, valves having tilt-activated valve stems require less force for activation than valves having vertically activated valve stems. Release valves requiring smaller activation forces are advantageous because such valves require less power to activate. Decreased power consumption will allow for longer power source life times. Smaller activation forces are also advantageous for automated activation because smaller required forces allow for simpler, smaller, and/or less costly automated designs.
Existing automated valve activation systems for valves having tilt-activated valve stems are complex and may be difficult and expensive to manufacture. Complex systems including gears, springs, and precise interactions of a multitude of moving parts may also require more power to operate, have a greater tendency to break, and may be too large to fit within an overcap for placement on a volatile material container.
Another disadvantage of current valve activation systems for valves having tilt-activated valve stems is the limited ability to control the direction in which the volatile material is released. In an axially activated valve, the volatile material is released along the longitudinal axis of the valve stem no matter how far the valve stem is depressed axially. However, in a tilt-activated valve stem, the direction of release depends on how far the tilt-activated valve stem has been displaced radially and/or the circumferential direction of the radial displacement. This limited ability to control the direction of release limits the type of overcap that may be used with a tilt-activated valve stem. To prevent a portion of the released volatile material from being captured within an overcap, the overcap must include an aperture large enough to accommodate a full range of release directions.